San Luis Police Department receives funding to help patrol border
SAN LUIS, AZ (AZFamily) — The San Luis Police Department has received $1.2 million to help the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Yuma Sector secure the border area.
The federal funds are part of Operation Stonegarden Grant Program, which provides funding for local law enforcement to assist federal agencies like CBP.
San Luis Police Lt. Alan Guevara says they see a lot of people climb over the border fence and hide in residential areas nearby.
“They quickly try to make it to the residential area because there is backyards, sheds, and residences that are abandoned and they try to hide, " Lt. Guevara said.
On top of hiding in residential areas, he said people crossing the border also try hiding in the agriculture fields.
The money from the grant program allows the department to pay overtime to police officers so they can assist border patrol agents.
“There’s a lot of illegal immigrants trying to cross over, or they need assistance with security or help with paperwork and containing situations,” said Guevara.
He added that some of the funding also allows officers to assist CBP at the San Luis Port of Entry.
Guevara said the funding should last through 2026.
The grant program began in 2006 and has given out $90 million as of 2019. A majority of those funds were sent to cities at the U.S.-Mexico border, including Arizona.
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